by Kimberly Blaker

G21 Contributing Editor

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Kimberly Blaker

NEW BOSTON, MI, USA - Among a plethora of other parallels, what do Christianity, Islam, and other world religions all have in common? An inescapable capability of manifesting and/or attracting extremists of the most lethal kind - terrorists. This has been proven time and again throughout history and continues to be revealed. The capture of Eric Robert Rudolph is just one more reminder.

Rudolph, charged with several Atlanta bombings, including the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park; an office building that was home to an abortion clinic; and a gay and lesbian nightclub, proves that fundamentalist Muslim terrorists from abroad are not our only enemy, and that, in fact, religious extremism by American Christian fundamentalists is every bit as real.

Rudolph reportedly had contact with the racist Aryan Nation, also known as Church of Jesus Christ Christian, and was a Christian Identity follower. Some of his bombs even included messages from the Army of God.

An illustration of support for Rudolph's violence is found on the Army of God's web site, where, following links to news reports on Rudolph and other anti-abortion violence, the terrorists offer, "Babies deserved to be protected from babykilling abortionists and from pro-choice babykillers."

The Army of God further advocates, "99 Covert Ways to Stop Abortion," a list loaded with vicious, malicious, and criminal recommendations for terrorizing abortion clinic doctors, employees, and women seeking abortion.

"For example," the Army advances, "an innocent driver in going-home or going-to-work traffic who just happens to be in front of the abortionist in his car might need to stop quickly to avoid hitting a child who darted into the street, or some other unforeseen traffic hazard. If the abortionist were to fail to stop in time, he would cause an accident that would require the police to cite him for following too closely. It would cost him time and money, make him late for ... workí and make him liable to a lawsuit. it might even cost him his insurance coverage, depending on his previous record !?!"

What else might anti-abortionists try? They can squeeze crazy glue into entry key holes; "accidentally" bulldoze buildings; or shoot out clinic windows, preferably with a "semi-automatic." Never mind that someone might be on the other side of the glass.

But far from exhaustive, the site claims that, "rescuers," as they call themselves, may be likely to get "felony convictions" regardless of whether they act violently. Therefore, the Army justifies, "the powers that be have guaranteed that the bombs and fires are not going to be just here and there every now and again, but here, there, and every- where, now and again and again and again."

The extremists admit that certain details from their manual have even been omitted from their web site because of "the hysteria of the Federal Government." One can only imagine the magnitude of what isn't included.

Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, who bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City, causing 168 deaths, are but two more examples of such terrorism. They were influenced by the Christian Identity movement and their bombing was in retaliation of what they perceived as government wrongs against a Ruby Ridge white supremacist family and the Waco Branch Davidians.

Equally disturbing, according to the National Abortion Federation, there have been 7 murders, 17 attempted murders, 41 bombings, 166 arson attacks, 82 attempted bombings/arson, 355 death threats, 125 assault and batteries, 654 anthrax threats, and 1,042 vandalizations by anti-abortionists.

But abortion providers aren't the only target of Christian terrorists. Blacks, Jews and gays and lesbians have been longtime victims of these extremists.

During the 30 year period of 1889 to 1918, it is estimated between 3,200 and 5,000 men, women, and children (mostly black) were victims of lynchings by the Ku Klux Klan (a Christian movement). In 1999, there were 1,487 recorded offenses against homosexuals, three resulting in death. There were 1,606 reported anti-Semitic incidents in 2000, including several bomb threats to Jewish centers and temples.

Most telling, during the decade of 1991 to 2000, approximately 74,000 hate crimes were reported, according the FBI, in all.

Given the magnitude of fundamentalist Christian-based violence in the U.S., it's bewildering why so much emphasis has been placed on Islamic terrorism while Christian terrorism has received little acknowledgement or energy from mainstream society and our government. Certainly the tragic events of September 11, shouldn't be overlooked or neglected - but neither should the widespread terrorism within our own nation.

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